Index.



No, 881,156. r PATENTED MAR..10, 190s. w. J. ROUSSEL. I

INDEX.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 27. 1966.

I ZQZ'ZZZQ: JZZ waeZ witnesses 6 Hanna;

- WILLIS J. ROU SSEL, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

INDEX.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 27, 1906.

Patented March 10, 1908. Serial No. 308,369.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS J. RoussnL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexes, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an index designed primarily for use with loose leaf books and serving to materially facilitate the locating of any particular data inscribed in the book.

he invention hends a plurality of sub-indexes having particular relation to the main index and arranged to ermit the, ready location of the desired leaf 'of the book.

he invention will first be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan showing the arrangement, of my improved index in the form of a main and sub-index, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing an extension of the index by the provision of an auxiliary sub-index.

Referring to the drawings my improved index comprises primarily a plurality of index cards which folios in the case of a loose leaf book. These index cards are divided into three distinct series, hereinafter termed the main index cards 1, the sub-index cards 2 and the auxiliary sub-index cards 3. The main index cards 1 are provided with tabs ell-bearing theinitial letter of the index, respective series of cards 1 being arranged off-set in the usual manner to provide for readily disclosing all the letters'of the main index when the book is closed, it being understood, of course, that the tabs 4 project beyond the side edges of the card 1.

The sub-index cards 2 are of less width than the main index cards and are provided with edge tabs 5, the free ed es of the tabs terminating coincident with edge of the main index card when the index is assembled. The auxiliary sub-index cards are still fur ther reduced in. width being provided with tabs 6 designed when the index is assembled to terminate in-alinement with the edge of the main sub-index cards, it bein under stood, of course, that the tabs oft ese respective sub-index cards are arranged relatively off-set so as to provide for a ready inthe tabs of the of Orleans and State of broadly stated compre-' are adapted to be bound in the book or inserted between the proper spection ofall of the tabs of either the main or auxiliary indexes without interference.

The SGIIBS' of main sub-index cards are arranged to follow each of the main index cards, the main sub-index tabs bearing a sub-.

classification relative to the main index, by the indication on said tabs of the main index initial followed by the letter entering into ordinary combination with the initial letter 0f the main index, as for example in the case of the letter C the main sub-index tabs will bear respectively in successive order Ca, Ce, Ch, Ci, C1, C0, Cu, and any other letter which in the ordinary classification for which the indexis to be used would follow the initial letter, as Cr.

The auxiliary sub-index cards are' arranged between the respective main subindex cards, the tabs of such auxiliary bearing the ordinary combinations of the two letters indicatedon the main sub-index card which they follow, and a third letter which in the intended use of the index would be used with the two letters of the main subindex, In the case of the letter 0 shown in Fi 2 of the drawin s, the auxiliary subin ex card includes t e combination of Ca with practically all of the letters of the alphabet.

It is to be understood, of course, that each main index card is followed by aseries of main sub-index cards bearing upon their tabs the combination of the main letter with another letter ordinarily used therewith and presentirfig asub-classification t0 the main index. ach of the main sub-index cards are to befollowed by a series of auxilia sub-indexes combining with the two letters of cards the book are interposed between the index I cards; the leaf preceding each main index card extends only to the auxiliary sub-index, the next preceding leaf is wide enough to cover the auxiliary sub-index, preceding leaf extends overthe sub-index; the'leaf the auxi iary sub-index only and the-leaves l preceding this last mentioned leaf, and the I eaves between the auxiliary sub-index cards only extend to the index of these cards.

In use it is to be understood that the main index alone is vis ble when the book is in closed position, so that the user, desiring to and the next receding each sub-index card covers find the leaf of the book devoted to Campbell will divide the index at the letter C, whereupon there is resented to his view'the main sub-index and the auxiliary sub-index illustrated in Fig; 2 of the drawings. He will then divide the auxiliary sub-index cards at the tab Cam presenting to his view the leaf of the book it is desired to find; Should,

however, he desire to find the name Qhain- -pion he w'll after dividing the book atythe main index card C andfinding presentedto his view the res ective sub-indexes indicated will further divlde the main sub-index at the. tab Ch, whereupon there will be presented to his view a series of auxiliary sub-index tabs bearin the combinations of Ch and the other ossi le letters of the alphabet. He may t en readily divide the auxiliary subindex at Cha, which i the book desired.

In indexes of this character devoted to particular uses, as a led er for example, whereupon the leaves are it may be desirable to utilize the main subsub-divisions in use, so that ,w

sented to view,

index,'or a ,portion thereof as indicating the entire name, sub-dividing the same according to-the initial of the first narne for example,

as illustrated in Fig. 2. i

In connection with the particular form of index described it is tobe noted that the index cards and leaves are so arranged as to provide for the gradual develo ment of the en the book is closed only the main index tabs are preand when initially opened at the main index letter, only the-main sub-indexes of that letter become visible, so that the cards and leaves are cut to provide against the sub-divisions appearing to view will disclose the leaf of evoted to names of an initial letter and a second letter,

except at the desired divisionywhereby all confusion and complication is .avoided.

It is to be further noted in connection with and as an initial part of the present index that the system throughout is duplicated on each of the tabs of theindex cards, so that the user may ;work backward through the book as well as forward.

Ittwill be observed that the sub-indexes commence in alinement with the initial let- 'ters, and by providing record leaves of different widths and extending the full. length of the book, the sub-indexes of the lower initial letters will be effectively hidden while looking for a name under the letters at the top of the book.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

An indexed book, comprising an index embodying a series of main index cards, bearing in alinement properly spaced, an initial letter,

the combination of the initial letter and a second letter, and the combination of the initial letter, a second letter and a third letter, a series of sub index cards bearing in aline'nient properly spaced the combination second and third 

